The History

Lady Farm is in the village of Chelwood, Somerset, UK.

The home of Mr & Mrs Malcolm Pearce, the gardens have been designed and created by Mrs Judy Pearce over the last 13 years.

Malcolm and Judy moved to Lady Farm in 1972 when it was still a working farm. They moved on the shaking of hands, exchanging their smaller house with friends who no longer wanted the responsibility of the 12 acres at Lady Farm.

They farmed the land intensively until 1990 when they removed three acres of farm buildings. Top soil from a 4 acre paddock was then landscaped over the area and planting began in earnest in 1992 to create windbreaks around the perimeter.

The accidental discovery of a spring water source in 1994 enabled the garden to be landscaped with a water course running down the side of the valley, punctuated by waterfalls and two lakes with associated marginal planting.

Malcolm’s vegetable patch was transformed in 2000 to a cottage style garden which has since been replanted to a more modern style for ease of management and in 2004, the addition of mist units and a wooden gorilla to the ravine of the waterfall added an alternative aspect to the garden, to the amusement of many a visitor.

Present Day

The 'prairie' and 'steppe' style plantings are a popular feature all year round providing an array of striking colours which evolve throughout the seasons.

A shady hosta walk with birch and hydrangeas leads to a lake which is surrounded by natural planting, blending into a wildflower meadow. From the lake, a stream cascades into a deep ravine of rockwork.

A new prairie was planted in September 2007, combining a broad variety of grasses, stems and colour themed perennials which will start to flower this June.

A kitchen garden growing organic vegetables is also new for 2008